Our increased use of electronic devices has led to the evolution of a new medical term called Text Neck. What exactly is text neck, and is there anything that you can do to treat it?
The term text neck refers to neck pain caused by poor posture in which the head sits in front of the shoulders, often in a more downward position. The term itself is a reference to the posture most of us assume when using our electronic devices such as cell phones, tablets and computers. Sustaining a forward flexed posture puts increased strain on the muscles in the back of the neck, tightness across the chest and front of the shoulders, and leads to weakness of the deep neck muscles. The average human head weighs approximately 4.5 kg. When a person maintains a forward head posture, the head places a force of more than 27kg on the spine. This puts extra strain and stress on the muscles and supporting structures of the neck that can ultimately lead to pain and discomfort.
If left alone, text neck can begin to affect more than just the neck. It can be associated with shoulder pain since the shoulders pull forward, leaving less room in the joint for mobility. It can also result in upper back pain, since the upper back will round out as well with resulting weakness in the muscles of the back and shoulder blades. Text neck also produces increased strain and stress on the jaw, increasing symptoms of TMD. And finally, a sustained forward head posture can result in chronic headache symptoms.
Making small adjustments in our posture when using devices can help alleviate the impact of text neck. First, try to bring the screen of the device as close to eye level as possible. You can use support under your arms to achieve this (such as placing your arms on a pillow or two while sitting and looking at your phone). If using a laptop, elevate the laptop on a platform and utilize a bluetooth keyboard on a desk surface to encourage a more upright posture. Taking posture breaks every 15-20 minutes is also encouraged. During these breaks, spend 30 seconds performing exercises that move your body in the direction opposite of that which produces text neck. Simple things to try include looking up at the ceiling, squeezing shoulder blades together, and chin tucks where the head is pulled backwards to bring ears in line with the shoulders. You can check out this Video Short to get an idea of what text neck looks like and how easy it can be to begin working on it yourself.
Should these simple tricks not alleviate neck pain, you should consider working with a medical professional to help determine the root cause of your symptoms and develop a more comprehensive plan of care. A physical therapist can work with you to help improve your ergonomics while working on your devices as well as help you with manual techniques and exercises to reduce neck pain and improve your posture.
The physical therapy staff at Smith PT+ are well versed in treating text neck and offer multiple interventions such as: postural strength and mobility, dry needling, cupping, IASTM, joint mobilizations, and therapeutic exercises to help restore your posture. We also have experts in ergonomics on hand who can help ensure your workstation is fit properly for your body and the work that you do. Let us know if you would like more information!
